Return to the smart home: Apple plans innovations in October
A series of long-awaited smart home accessories are expected in the coming weeks. Insiders claim there is at least one new category.
The HomePod minis will likely also be revised, here is the old generation from 2020.
(Image: Apple)
Apples appointment for the introduction of new smart home products is apparently set. This is reported by the usually well-informed Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. According to him, at least three new products will be presented on October 13, possibly as part of a keynote to which Apple is likely to invite very soon. In addition to revisions of two long-neglected product categories, there will also be the introduction of a completely new hardware, about which there have also been rumors for a long time. It is still unclear whether other new devices, such as Macs and iPads, will also appear or whether they will be presented at a later date.
Apple’s Home Hub is finally ready
The central innovation is a so-called Home Hub; whether it will be called that or get a different name is not yet confirmed. According to Gurman, it is a type of smart home tablet with a 6-inch square screen that is intended to control home devices but also offers its apps (without an App Store) from Apple, including FaceTime. The device is supposed to recognize when a person is approaching and prepare the interface accordingly.
The Home Hub will also offer access to Siri AI – something Apple wants to particularly emphasize. Apparently, two variants of the Home Hub are planned: one for standing, which is reminiscent of the old iMac G4 from 2002 (including a hemispherical base), and one for wall mounting, where the speaker area is below the screen.
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A camera is only installed on the front of the Home Hub, not on the back, as the device is intended for stationary use. There are no batteries, so the hardware must always be connected to power via USB-C. Around the screen, there is reportedly a relatively wide frame reminiscent of older iPads. The edges are rounded, according to Gurman, and there are neither volume buttons nor a power button. A light strip is placed around the screen so that you can find the device and the camera can recognize the user. The facial recognition system is said to be less accurate than Face ID on the iPhone, but there is person recognition by voice, with which a paired iPhone is supposed to help (also as a fallback).
Apple wants to sell users several of these Home Hubs, which they can then place around the house. The user interface comes with standby mode-like displays, including clocks and lava lamp-style animations. Users can also display photos. There will be familiar Apple applications such as Calendar, News App, Notes, Apple Music, Podcasts, and Reminders. The home screen is reportedly iPad-like with influences from the Apple Watch UI.
HomePod Mini 2 and Apple TV 4K Generation 4
In addition to the Home Hub, other products are planned for October 13, according to Gurman. Apple itself had already leaked in its code that a new HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K would be released. The small speaker is said to retain its old design from 2020 but get a faster chip with Siri AI support. New colors are also planned, including pastel shades in green, pink, and blue.
A large new HomePod is not expected, but a HomePod 3 is planned, according to Gurman. A new Apple TV 4K model is said to replace the predecessor from 2022, also with an old look and improved internals. Both devices were reportedly planned by Apple back in 2024, but difficulties with the old Siri and Apple Intelligence prevented this.
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